Pages

Saturday, June 10, 2017

My Four Agreements and naming the full moons

"New World Coming" **

One of my new neighbors and I have started a small ritual of reviewing our intentions on the night of the full moon. Last night’s incredible Strawberry Moon (see below for more info) prompted a lot of thoughts about personal agreements and the keeping of them.

With gratitude and deference to Don Miguel Ruiz who gave the world Four Agreements that have changed lives for millions, I have decided to set down my own four agreements for this place and time in my life.

* Express Gratitude … for everything that comes to me and everything that exists in our world.

* Give Generously … of my time and resources, to myself, to others and to the world we live in.

* Celebrate Beauty … honor the beauty of the world and let it flow into my actions and art.

However, what are the actions that support those agreements?

Thought without action is a seed on the wind. Or, as my elders used to say, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” What actions will I take to give life to my agreements, to plant these seeds in fallow ground where they can grow and thrive?

The agreement that most calls to me now is… Connect Deeply. I want to know my new environment, its culture, its history, its people, its language. I also want to slow down and take time to connect to my spiritual and physical self.

Action: learn Spanish. I’ve embarked on a self-study course but need to speak the language more. I need to find a native speaking tutor.

Action: practice yoga. Getting ready for this move to Mexico, I sprained my foot (mildly). In the process of hobbling about, I threw my hips out of whack. While my foot has mended, my hips hurt and it is taking away from my joy of walking. I’ve been seeing a chiropractor, which has helped, but I need to practice yoga and allow my body to regain flexibility.

Action: meet mural artists. I am fascinated by the wall art I find here in Mexico and I want to know more about the artists and their work. So, go meet them.

So, that's my plan for this moon. We'll see where we are at the next full moon.

If you are fascinated by moon names, here’s some additional information, which makes me think that we should get to name our moons according to life in our particular environment. Since I am now living on Lake Chapala, Mexico, I am renaming Strawberry Moon to Return of Rain Moon.

Thank you, Return of Rain Moon for these insights and I look forward to your next appearance, which, for now, I will think of as New World Coming Moon.

** (I recently started a new Photoshop Artistry online class and this is one of the first images from that class.)

This full Moon appeared when wolves howled in hunger outside the villages. It is also known as the Old Moon. To some Native American tribes, this was the Snow Moon, but most applied that name to the next full Moon, in February.

At the time of this spring Moon, the ground begins to soften and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of robins. This is also known as the Sap Moon, as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins.

This full Moon corresponds with the time of harvesting corn. It is also called the Barley Moon, because it is the time to harvest and thresh the ripened barley. The Harvest Moon is the full Moon nearest the autumnal equinox, which can occur in September or October and is bright enough to allow finishing of all the harvest chores.

This is the month when the leaves are falling and the game is fattened. Now is the time for hunting and laying in a store of provisions for the long winter ahead. October’s Moon is also known as the Travel Moon and the Dying Moon.

Or these - special ones from the Siouan (Assiniboines) Tribe, Montana ....
the March 'Sore Eye Moon' comes from long days watching the glare of
the sun on the snow - and 'Gophur Looks Back' from the little Gophur
looking behind him at lost summer days.

Jan

Hard Time Moon

Feb

Long day Moon

March

Sore Eye Moon

April

Frog's Moon

May

Idle Moon

June

Full Leaf Moon

July

Red Berries Moon

Aug

Black Cherries Moon

Sep

Yellow leaf Moon

Oct

Gophur Looks Back Moon

Nov

Frost Moon

Dec

Younger Hard Time Moon

How about these - from the Inuit peoples of Northern Canada?

Jan

Dwarf Seal Moon

Feb

Seal Pup Moon

March

Snow Bird Moon

April

Snow Melt Moon

May

Goose Moon

June

Hunting Moon

July

Dry Moon

Aug

Swan Flight moon

Sep

Harpoon Moon

Oct

Ice Moon

Nov

Freezing Mist Moon

Dec

Dark Night Moon

Here are the old Celtic and Medieval names attributed to Britain

Jan

Wolf Moon, Stay Home Moon, Moon after Yule

Feb

Storm Moon, Ice Moon, Snow Moon

March

Plough Moon, Wind Moon, Lenten (lengthening) Moon

April

Budding moon, New Shoots Moon, Seed Moon

May

Mothers' Moon, Bright Moon,

June

Mead Moon, Horse Moon, Dyan Moon, Rose Moon

July

Claiming Moon, Wyrt or Herb Moon, Mead Moon

Aug

Dispute Moon, Lynx Moon, Grain Moon

Sep

Wine Moon, Song Moon, Harvest Moon

Oct

Hunter's Moon, Blood Moon. Seed Fall Moon

Nov

Mourning Moon, Darkest Depths Moon,

Dec

Oak Moon, Full Cold Moon

Then, there are the beautiful and ancient names for their much celebrated Moons, given by the Chinese people